Aerial navigation.



H. mm. AERIAL NAVIGATION v APPLICATION II LPID MARIN; 1909. 1,022,777. I Patented Apr. 9, 1912.

lvihmoaeo H. DISSIE. AERIAL NAVIGATION. APPLICATION FILED MAR.17, 1909.

Patentd A t 9, 1912.

wmmm H. DI-$815.; AERIAL NAVIGATION. APPLICATION FILM) MAR. 17, 1909 1,022,777. Patented Apr 9, 1912 s SI IBETSrSHEI-IT a.

TIq 5 HENRY mssm, or wasnme'ron, ms'rnrqlf or continue.

' AERIAL navzea'rior.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application latch 17, 1909. serial NO. 484,027.

Patented Apr. 9, 191a.

. To all whom itmay conoern:

Be it known that I, HENRY Dream, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in' Aerial N avigation, of which the following is a specification. I

ThlS invention relates to aerial navigation and more particularly to that form of air ship known asa heavier-than-air machine.

The broad idea-.aspontemplated by this, invention is a construction on the aeroplane principle comprising a series of parallel superposed aeroplanes of any form or shape arranged so that their longest diameters lie in the same vertical lane, and whosecenters of areafall on t e longest diameter of each respective plane but to one side of the center thereof. The superposed planes should be so arranged that their centers of area will lie in the same vertical line. The framework, aeroplanes, and driving mech-. anism should be so constructed and arranged that the center of gravity of the entire machine will be below the lowermost aeroplane and normally in the'line of centers or area of the aeroplanes as above described. The machine is contemplated to move in the di- 80 rection of the longest diameter with that side of the aeroplane nearest the center of area toward the front.

- While the accompanfying drawings illustrate the preferred orms minor detail changes may be 'madewithout departing from the scope of the invention.

' Figure .1 is aside elevation of one form of com lete machine. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. I ig. 3 is a front end elevation; Fig.

4 4 is a diagrammatical view of a modified form. Fig. 5 is a side elevation in detail of a modification. Fig. 6 is a plan view of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of Fig. 5. Fig. 8is a detail view of one of the forward shaft brackets. Fig. 9 is' a de-- tail view of one of the rear shaft brackets. Fi 10, 11 and 12 are views illustrating di erent forms of planes. p

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the aeroplanes are des- 5 i ated by the numerals 1, 2, 3, 4,. 5 and 6. 1 Each lane is similar in form to the one I above 1t, but somewhat; smaller in size, their homologous sides lying in the same planes and their centers of area lying in a straight "line perpendicular to the uppermost plane. The contour of each aeroplane is preserved comprisin a sprocket w eel and miter la. 10 and 10 are similarly disposed posts arranged near the rear of platform 7 connecting the platform to the frames in-the same manner. A pair of wheels 11 are secured to the underside of the forward part of the platform- 7, and a pair of smaller wheels 12 are secured to the rear of platform 7 to support the plane while upon the ground. 13 and 13 are propeller shafts, carrying propellers 14 and 14, mount-ed to revolve in brackets. 15 and 16 on one side and in brackets 15 and 16 on the other side. These brackets 15, 16, 15 and 16' being carried by posts '9, 10, 9 and 10 respectively. 17 is a vertical rudder supported between the rear posts 8 and ada ted by the light framework a and the surface to steer the machine in a horizontal p ans.

18 is a horizontal rudder sup rted by brackets 19 from the forward posts 8 adapted to raise and lower the forward ends of the plane. 20 is an engine arranged centrally upon the platform 7 and may be of any form, a two clinder gas engine bcin illustrated in this nstance- 21 is a. doub 0 driving wheel carried b (the engine shaft r wheel. T e sprocket wheel is connecte a chainto a sprocket wheel carried by sha t 13. Shaft 13 is connected to shaft 13 by a chain passing over sprockets on both of said shafts. Bypassin the chain over the top of one sprocket an under the bottom of the other sprocket a reverse movement is imparted to'the two shafts. The miter gear carried by the driving wheel meshes with the miter gear wheel carried upon the transverse shaft 22, which carries a sprocket' wheel connected by a chain to the sprocket carried on the shaft of the rear wheels 12. 23 is a steering wheel connected to rudder 17, and 24 is an operating lever connected to horizontal rudder 18. 25 is a tail or drag pivoted to the rear of frame a ofthe uppermost plane and is operated by the lever 26. 27 is a clutch mechanism carried on the shaft of rear wheels 12 adapted to connect or disconnect these wheels with the driving mechanism. 28 is an operating lever for such clutch. 29 is a seat for the operator.

I The operation of this machine is as follows The platform 7 and the/superposed planes being parallel, and the rear wheels 12 being of less diameter than the forward wheels 11, when the machine is upon the ground the forward ends of the planeswill be tiltedupward. To cause the machine to begin its flight,.the horizontal rudder 18 is )laced in the position shown in full lines rudder l7 and the vertical direction of the machine is controlled by the horizontal rudder 18. The tail 25 will operate as a drag when it is desired to reduce the speed or in making a landing.

I In the form just described the series of superposed aeroplanes, platform supports and propeller shafts are all rigidly connected, and the vertical direction of the machine is controlled entirely by the forward rudder 18. This invention also contem plates a separate means for controlling the vertical direction which may be used alone, or in connection with the horizontal rudder 18. This form is shown in detail in Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9; This means of governing the flight comprises a vertical movement being imparted to the propeller shafts, and is carried out in the following manner. The" propellers 30 and 30 carried by shafts 31 and 31? are mounted in the brackets 32 and 32 secured to the forward supporting posts 9 and 9, a nd the brackets 33 and 33 secured to the rearward supporting posts 10 and 10. The brackets 32 and 32 are rigidly secured, but the shaft bearings 34' and 34 are piyotally mountedthereonand the brackets '33 and33 are pivoted to the posts 10 and 10,, so that an upward or downward angle may be imparted to the propeller shaft by the movement of the latter brackets about their pivotal points, the movementbeing controlled by the operating rods 35 and 35?.

36 is a driving shaft centrally mounted and above the platform 7 between the posts 9, 9, 10 and 10 in linewith the brackets 32 and 32, and the pivots of brackets 33 and 33. Shaft 36 is connected by a. chain to the sprocket on the driving wheel 21 of engine 20. Power may be transmitted from this shaft 36 to the propeller shaft by chains directly, as shown on the upper. side of Fig. 6,

one chain being crossed to give opposite direction of roiatlon to the two shafts, or, 1f

the vertical movement of the propeller shaft 1 is too great, an intermediate shaft 37 may be secured to bracket 32, or at the pivotal point of bracket 33 to form a flexible connection between the driving shaft 36 and the propeller shafts.

As before stated the center of gravity of the machine is below the aeroplane 6 and in the line of the centers of area of the aeroplanes. When the operator mounts his weight will throw the center of gravity slightly to the rear of this line of centers, and when the machine has left the ground this movement of the center of gravity will cause a downward tilt to the rear portion of the aeroplanes, which will impart a rising motion to the machine. At times during flight it may'become desirable to. impart a slightly different angle to the aeroplanes.- In Fig. 4 I have shown in diagram a means by which this may be accomplished. In this case the. frames a of .the superposed aeroplanes are not rigidly connected by the posts 8, 9 and 10. Posts 38 and 39 are provided on each side of the platform 7, and are connected thereto by hinges 40.1 These posts engage the outer sides of frame a of each aeroplane, and are pivoted thereto as at 41. 42 is a bracket secured to platform 7 supporting drum 43. 44 is a flexible brace secured to the upper end of post 38, which passes over pulley 45 carried near the bottom of post 3.9, thence around drum 43, over pulley 46 carried near the bottom of post 38, andis secured to the upper end of the post 39. These braces will normally holdposts138 and 39 rigid, but when the drum 43 is rotated in one direction or the other, the posts 38 and 39 will be moved in the corresponding direction and the aeroplanes will be moved in a body in the same direction, while still remaining parallel with each other, thus moving the center of gravity of the entire machine which consequently affects the angles of the aeroplanes. rearward ends of each plane may be supported by the pivotal connections 47 and 48.

In Fig. 4 a modified form of horizontal rudder is shown. Instead of having the horizontal pivoted rudder 18 supported by rigid bracket 19, a bracket 49 is provided having a lower track portion 50 in the form of a segment of a circle, in which the rudder 18 may be moved back and forth in either direction to impart thedesired angle to the rudder.

In aerial navigation the conditions are exactly opposite to those encountered in marine navigation, yet in marine navigation the equilibrium of a vessel depends upon the center of gravity being below the center of buoyancy, and in aerial navigation the sta In this form the forward and ance with this invention is propelled through the air with its forward ends slightly raised the center of the resistance of the surface thus presented by the underside of the'pla-ne to the air becomes the center of buoyancy of the aeroplane. hen the proper angle to secure the maximum efficiency during flight determined the ideal condition of stability would he established by arranging the center of gravity in the line of the center of buoyancy, which in this case is the center of resistance. In a machine constructed in accordance with this invention the center. of gravity, withoutconsidering the operator, normally lies in the line of center of area of the aeroplanes. The weight of the operaton brings the center of gravity slightly to the rear of the center of area during flight, and

at the same time the centers of buoyancy will fall in a line slightly to the rear of the line of the centers. or" area, so that by the proper-regulation otthe Vertical directing means the center of. gravity may be caused to fall in. the line of the centers of buoyancy vidingmeans by which these plancs maybe shifted so that the center of gravity, which is at all times below the lowermost: aeroplane, may be brought to fall in said straight line of centers, it becomes impossible for the machine to turn turtle under any condition, and should the propelling mechanism become disabled the relative position of the aeroplanes may be so altered that the. machine will descend to the earth in the same manner as a parachute.

That I claim is In an aeroplane, a plurality of planes of similar shape having their greatest axes in the direction of travel and their centers at area forward of their longitudinal centers, said planes in reasing in size one above the other with their centers of area in the same vertical. line, a relatively smaller platform of similar shape, means pivotedv to the platform and to each plane supporting the planes one above the other in parallel relation to each other and to the. platform, whereby upon movement of the planes they remain parallel to each other and to the platform, means for ait'ting the supporting means a ut its pivots upon the plat form whereby the planes may be shifted 'fore and aft and remain in the same horizontal plane.

HENRY DISSIE.

Witnesses LANGDON Mooins, CAROLINE MORGAN. 

